Friday, January 27, 2012

Back to Roses - My Top 5

I was reminded (thanks, David) that this is a rose blog. I haven't been talking about roses much, because they are dormant right now! So, please forgive me. For the next few days, I'll talk roses!!!

If you are new to roses, you may not know that there are different classes of roses. I won't go into all the different types, but one class is the Antiques, or old garden roses. I grow all types of roses, but I love the Antique roses because they usually require less pruning, have a history (I love a good story), and most are quite fragrant.

Way back in September (September 20th, to be exact), Chris of The Redneck Rosarian asked for a list of our favorite top 5 old garden roses. My answer was (in no particular order):

Mrs. Dudley Cross

Mrs. Dudley Cross
An old garden Tea, she's a lovely lady, starting out yellow and blushing to pink. The way her petals change colors makes her quite charming. Want more information? I've done a post on her HERE.

Lady Hillingdon

Lady Hillingdon
Another old garden Tea, she's quite the radiant beauty. Her blooms are quite big, almost floppy, with a golden color that really stands out in the garden. She'll grow up to 6 ft, in zones 5b through 10.

Perle d'Or

Perle d'Or
A china/polyantha with tiny little blooms, she makes me smile each time I see those ribbon-like petals. Considered thornless, or almost so. Zones 6 through 9. Will grow to 6 ft tall, or can be kept small as a container rose. She's also designated an Earthkind rose.

Souvenir de St. Anne's

Souvenir de St. Anne's
A Bourbon, this was one of my very first roses. Her scent wafts through the air, and I am charmed by her loose form and clear pink color. You can read more about her in my garden HERE.

Francis Dubreuil

Francis Dubreuil
Either an old garden Tea or possibly a Hybrid Tea named Barcelona (there is some dispute), Francis is a sentimental favorite of mine, and a favorite, too, for its scent. One whiff and I was hooked. Read more about this rose HERE.

It was fun to look through past pictures of the roses now that they're dormant. I can't wait to see their faces this spring!

30 comments:

Roses are my fav. flower in my own garden!I'm here in the sunshine of AZ and see roses blossoming already! I buy a dozen at Safeway to admire in my home. The last bunch have lasted over 10 days and are bigger than a china tea cup!

Oh my gosh you had this gardener's heart at "Antique Roses". Thank you for sharing them with everyone. If more folks realized how easy and carefree most of them are, they would hit the switch button in a heartbeat! Would love to see your next five selections to round out your Top Ten!!!!!

Yes, the rose garden looks pretty sad when they're not in bloom. Buds already? That's almost scary. What's funny is that my spring bulbs are not blooming, yet up north a lot are, and now you have buds on your roses. I'm not quite sure what to think about that.

wonderful roses although I enjoy all the things you blog about...remember the title is Roses and Other Gardening Joys....once those beauties start to bloom I will be having rose envy all over again....

I love this post! I am also very sentimentally attached to the old garden roses. I currently think that I have found a spot to add two more roses this spring. Just the thought of adding a new rose is like finding a new best friend. I’m so happy to find another gardener that loves roses as much as I do!

I do not buy Tea rose, I do have two, Carrle transplanted Mr lincoln over to my garden the loudest scent I have ever smelled in a rose. When it blooms it is perfect but it does not bloom enough. I also have the Peace Rose, a tea, almost got rid but I am glad I kept it bought it at Wal-Mart for three dollars fifty cents buy any thing for that. I almost dug up my Peace rose after two years slow starter or a bad beganing Carrel talked me into keeping it. I wrote a blog page about it wonderful history. I have one old rose from my Mother-in-law"s garden blooms only once smells heavenly. I plant florabundas and grandafloras. My "Dream Come True" had a bloom every day after April even Jan.1 it is pink and yellow combination the longer it is open the more pink it becomes. Yor roses are lovely. Thank you for sharing.